[Biblemat] S) APPEALING TO GOD FOR A GOOD CONSCIENCE (2)

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  Here is the second part
of this particular study.  Use to the glory of God.

APPEALING TO GOD FOR A GOOD CONSCIENCE  (2)

The Like Figure Whereunto Baptism Doth Now Save Us: -- The NKJV reads, "There 
is also an antitype which now saves
us -- baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the
answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resu-
rrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 3:21).

     Like Figure: -- corresponding to, copy. (Antitupos or anti-
type, or substance, the reality).  Baptism corresponds to this
escape or salvation through water that Noah experienced.  The flood was a 
shadow of our salvation.  Figuratively, Peter
says , "baptism corresponds to or is a representation of Noah
and his family escaping the devastating effects of the flood by being in the 
ark and being borne safely to a cleansed earth."  This deliverance was through 
water.  Notice the con-
trast between water and baptism: (1) Noah was separated from the Old World of 
sin by water: Today, baptism separates
us from the world of sin.  (2) In the days of Noah the Old World was 
destroyed by water:  Today, the world of sin is des-
troyed by baptism.  (3) God delivered Noah into a new world --
a new beginning:  Today, baptism delivers us into a new beginning in Christ.  
The new world is spiritual.  (4) Noah sav-ed through water.  Today: Baptism 
saves us.  (5) Noah escap-
ed through water.  Today: Our deliverance is through baptism
in water.  (6) As the flood waters brought Noah into a new cov-
enant with God, so to, our baptism brings us into the New Covenant of Jesus 
Christ.

     Baptism -- immersion in water (Jno. 3:23; Acts 8:37,38; Rom. 6:3-5; Acts 
2:38; 10:48).  There can be no doubt as to
what Peter is saying here, "Water baptism, does at this time
save us."  It is not the water that saves us, it is the baptism!
(it is obedience to God, JWS).  The role of baptism is what
Peter is emphasizing.  He says it saves!

     Now -- at this time.  Thousands of years ago the people in
the ark were saved through water; at this time or now, people
are saved by baptism.

     Save -- rescue, preserve.  Thayer says, "to save in the Bib-
lical sense; negatively, to deliver from the penalties of the
Messianic judgments; positively, to make on a partaker of the
salvation by Christ" (610).  (Rom. 5:8,9, saved from the wrath
of God; 1 Thes. 1:10, delivered from the wrath of God; Rom.
6:23, saved from eternal separation from God).

Not The Putting Away Of The Filth Of The Flesh: -- First, let us define some 
terms:  Putting away -- "Removal, getting rid
of" (Arndt & Gingrich, 90).  Mr. Thayer says, "a putting off or
away" (61).  Filth -- "removing of dirt from the body" (Arndt &
Gingrich, 745).  Mr. Thayer simply says, "filth."  Some say the
word filth means dirt.  The word "filth" is the correct translat-
ion.  But what is the filth under view?  Dirt on the body?  How
would a quick immersion in water remove physical dirt from 
the body?  It can't!  (Actually, if baptism in water did remove
the filth from the body, that is not the reason for the baptism
required by Christ.  It is an act of obedience that removes sin
from one's soul, JWS).  

     Let us turn our attention to Heb. 9:13,14, and when compa-
red with Num. 19, we find that ceremonial cleansing is what 
Peter is talking about.  Baptism in water for remission of sins
has nothing at all to do with all that ceremonial cleansing that
occurred under the Old Testament.  Sanctify in Heb. 9 means
"to cleanse externally, to purify levitically" (Thayer).

     Let's notice some things: you have the cleansing of the
flesh in both passages (Heb. 9:13,14; 1 Pet. 3:21).  You also
have the cleansing of the conscience in both passages.  In 
Hebrews yu have the blood of bulls and goats, etc. cleanses
the flesh.  In 1 Peter we find New Testament baptism, will not
remove the filth of the flesh.  Baptism is not some kind of 
ceremonial cleansing of the flesh.  It does not save us in the
way the Old Testament rituals sanctified to the cleanness of
the flesh.  Baptism is not dealing with a bodily uncleanness.
But it deals with the very same thing the blood of Jesus deals
with, that is, the conscience, the cleansing of the heart, and 
the guilt of sin.

     In Hebrews you have the blood of Christ, which cleanses
our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.  In
1 Peter you have baptism, the answer of a good conscience
toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Christ's blood makes 
the washing possible (Acts 22:16; Rev.
1:5) and baptism is the means of reaching the cleansing in His blood.  Or to 
put it in other words, it is the "blood of Christ" which "purges our 
conscience" (Heb. 9:14).  Yet, Peter says, tht "baptism doth now save us...by an appeal 
for 
a good conscience."

     Heb. 9:14 says that the blood of Christ cleanses our consc-
ience while Peter says, that in baptism we are coming to God
and making our appeal to God for that good conscience, that
cleansed conscience, cleansed by the blood of Christ.

     Baptism is the way God appointed for us to get the clean-
sing through the blood of the Lamb (Jesus Christ).  If the bap-
tism Peter is talking about is not a ceremonial cleansing, then
what is it?  That brings me to my next point.  (More will be
posted on this subject Monday, the Lord willing, JWS).
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